


I’ll Always Keep You Safe

by An_Odd_Idea



Series: The Idiot’s Notebook [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Also Kinda Dumb, Gen, Hypothermia, I do what I want, Kinda Fluffy, Magic, Peter Parker Can’t Thermoregulate, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Tony, Reassuring Tony, Sort Of, Stranded, The Author Regrets Nothing, Tiny Peter, Tony will do anything to keep his kid safe, Trust, Vore, Vore as protection, magical gifts, safe vore, size change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21563830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/An_Odd_Idea/pseuds/An_Odd_Idea
Summary: Years ago, Tony Stark was given a gift: an ability he didn’t think was possible.  After a mission goes wrong, he resorts to desperate measures to save Peter’s life.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: The Idiot’s Notebook [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706476
Comments: 24
Kudos: 140





	I’ll Always Keep You Safe

**Author's Note:**

> As I said in the tags, this story contains vore. If that’s not something you like, please don’t read it.
> 
> I write what I want, and I share in hopes that someone out there will like it, too.
> 
> New to the site, please forgive any formatting errors.
> 
> Please do not copy, print, or reproduce outside this site, I don’t want to get sued.

Tony really hadn’t thought much of rescuing the old woman in Gulmira. She had needed it, and that was enough. Besides, his brain added, she could have been Yinsen’s mother or grandmother or something. Probably, definitely not, but still.

The old woman, for her part, had taken the whole thing in stride, wrapping her arms around his neck and never flinching while he carried her. He set her down safely and turned to go, but she had grabbed his wrist with surprising strength.

“Stark.”

Tony hadn’t thought to wonder how she knew him.

“You desire to protect,” she had said in accented English.

“Yeah, well, just doing what I have to.”

“I will give you a gift. The ability to protect another inside yourself and release them safely when danger is past.”

Tony had smiled awkwardly when the woman made a gesture like pushing something invisible toward him.

“This gift can only be used once,” she had said. “Choose wisely.”

He had thanked her because even he felt compelled to be polite to senior citizens, and he had left.

He would have forgotten the encounter, but he couldn’t seem to shake it from his mind. It was so bizarre, so oddly specific, not to mention ridiculous, that it stayed with him. It was strange enough that he almost believed it, as much as he tried to tell himself he didn’t care. He considered testing it from time to time, just to see, but the only subject available was Pepper, who would absolutely murder him if it worked.

So it stayed a mystery. An interesting one, to be sure, but forever unknown. And to be honest, Tony was glad of it. Just in case.

...

They had, technically, not failed. They had caught the guy. So that was good.

They were also now stranded in the Transylvanian Alps. In winter. Phoneless, suitless (long, unfortunate story), with a long walk to any kind of civilization. Tony shivered in the bitter wind and folded his arms tighter in his too-thin jacket. Beside him, he could hear Peter’s teeth chattering above the rush of the wind.

“How’re you holding out?” he asked.

“Okay,” said Peter, keeping his head low like he didn’t dare move and disturb whatever warmth was left in him.

Immediately, Tony started to worry. He had a sense for the kid now, and he knew something was wrong.

“You sure?”

“Do you think there’s any vampires out here?”

“Vamp- kid it’s daylight. Nice subject change, by the way. Are you hurt?” He sped up enough to get in front of Peter and look at his face.

“No.” Peter avoided eye contact.

“Are you injured and not telling me? Kid we talked about this-“

“No, I’m not!” He hunched further inside his jacket. “I’m not, promise.”

Tony raised an eyebrow.

“I’m just really cold,” Peter mumbled.

Relieved, Tony fell back into step beside him and patted him on the shoulder. “Me too buddy. We’ll be warm soon.”

They trudged on, and the wind picked up. Snow began to fall. Peter stumbled, and Tony caught his arm.

“Th-thanks.”

“Let’s keep moving.”

As they went, Peter stumbled more and more frequently, until he was clinging to Tony’s arm for support, and Tony grew more and more concerned. He shouldn’t be this cold yet.

“Kid?” he asked cautiously, after a stumble almost sent them both headlong into the accumulating snow.

“M’fine. Jus’ co-old.” His teeth clacked together.

Tony freed his arm from the kid’s trembling grip and wrapped it around his shoulders. Immediately, Peter huddled into his side with a sound that tugged at his heart.

“Come on. We’ve still got a way to go.”

He practically dragged Peter along, but their progress grew slower and slower. Tony was shivering lightly, but Peter was barely staying on his feet and shaking entirely too violently. What was wrong with his kid?

“Ms’r Stark?” Peter grasped weakly at him as his legs gave out entirely.

“Whoa! Hang on there.” Tony tried to hold him up, but they went down together into the snow. “Kid, you all right?”

Peter sat awkwardly with his legs folded underneath him, swaying, his head drooping.

“Kid!”

He startled like someone pulled out of a daze and blinked at Tony. “Sorry.”

“Yeah, you stay awake.” Tony grabbed his arms like that could keep him from falling asleep. “We can’t stay here.”

“M’cooold.”

“Me too, let’s go.”

Peter clambered closer and snuggled against his chest.

“I can’t carry you that far. You gotta get up.”

“Y’re warm.”

Without much thought, Tony wrapped his arms around him. This was not normal. Something was very wrong with Peter.

“As much as I’d love to be your personal space heater, we have to go. This snow’s getting worse and we’ll freeze.”

“Nooo.”

Tony gasped when Peter’s icicle of a nose was squished against his neck.

“No’s right, come on. You’ll be warmer once we’re moving again.”

“Spid’r.”

“Yep, that’s right,” said Tony in his Patient Voice, attempting to haul a sack of bricks that vaguely resembled Peter Parker to its feet. “Get up, Spider-Man.”

“S-spidr… n’t good ‘t st-stayin warm.”

Oh. It all clicked into place, and Tony’s heart sank.

“All right, kid? Pete, listen to me, we have to go NOW.” He tried again to drag him up, but he didn’t budge, staring at the ground.

“Sorry,” Peter mumbled. “Shoulda told you.”

“Yeah, you should’ve.” Tony crouched in front of him and tried to look him in the eye. It didn’t work. “We’re gonna talk about that, but right now I just want you warm. We have to go.”

He stood up, and Peter latched onto his arm with surprising speed. “Don’ leave m-me!”

“I’m not leaving you- you’re coming with me.”

“Mr. S-Stark?” Peter asked in a tiny, quavery voice.

This kid was going to be the death of him. Tony dropped to his knees again, unzipping his jacket and pulling Peter in.

“I’m not leaving you, kiddo.”

“Mm.” Peter nuzzled close to him.

Tony pulled the jacket closer around them and breathed into the little cocoon it made. It wasn’t going to be enough. Peter needed more than a hug and an extra jacket, and Tony was growing colder as well. If they stayed, they would die. If they got up and hurried, Peter might still die, even if he could walk. Tony hugged him tighter and wished he had more warmth to give.

The idea hit him like a freight train. It was probably fake. It had to be fake. Things like that just weren’t possible. But if it was…

“Pete!”

“Y-Yeah?”

At least he was slightly more coherent than a few minutes ago. The hug had helped a bit.

“I’m gonna try something. I don’t know how it works- it might not even be real- but I’m going to try.”

“M’kay.”

Tony’s heart beat faster with anxiety. “If it works… it might be weird. Really, really weird, kid. I need you to trust me.”

“Kay.” Peter shivered violently.

How on earth was he even supposed to try this? Tony shut his eyes.

_Please be real, please be real, please be real, I need you. The kid needs you._

Nothing was happening.

_Please. He’s freezing, I’m warm, let this work._

“What’cha doin?” Peter asked.

_Stark._

Tony jumped a mile at the old woman’s voice in his mind. _Help us._

_You have chosen wisely._

_It’s real?_

_Of course it’s real._ She sounded offended.

“Mr. Stark?”

“Shh!” _I don’t know what to do._

_The boy will grow smaller, until you are able to swallow him and keep him inside. He will be safe, and you can release him with a thought._

Tony felt suddenly queasy. _I’m not going_ _to-  
Goodbye, Stark._

_Wait! Come back!_

But she was gone. Peter let out a strangled squeak, and Tony’s arms were suddenly loose around him as he shrank.

“You’re all right,” he said automatically.

“Mr. Stark!”

His reassuring hand quickly dwarfed the kid’s back, and he scooped the tiny, still shrinking person into his hands and held him close to his chest.

“What the- how- Mr. Stark?!” Now fully shrunken, Peter huddled in the palm of his hand. God, he was small. And scared.

“Still me,” said Tony. “You’re okay.”

“I’m s-so small!”

“Yep, you are, kiddo. I’ll get you warmed up in no time.” Tony climbed carefully to his feet and started walking, breathing into his cupped hands, which held Peter.

“But how?”

“Hard to explain.”

Peter curled up in his hand, perfectly trusting despite his minuscule size, and Tony’s heart burned with warmth and an almost fierce need to protect, protect, protect. He would be sure that trust was not misplaced.

He kept walking, and Peter kept shivering. Tony shivered as well, but it had nothing to do with the cold. His hands and his breath might not be enough.

“You doing better now?”

“L-little bit.”

He could put him in his mouth. It would be weird, and it would be terrifying for the kid, but far better than-

Tony caught his foot on an unseen rock and bit down hard on his own tongue.

Okay.

His heart faltered. Okay. Not doing that. How on earth was he going to explain this?

“Hey kid?”

“Mm?”

“Can’t sleep yet, sorry. Remember how you got small?”

“M’still small.”

“Yeah, well you can thank the magical grandma for that. It’s a gift, see, one time use only, but there’s part of it you don’t know about yet.”

“Hm?” Peter was, at best, half awake.

Tony breathed a shaky sigh. “I’m just gonna cut to the chase here. Please don’t freak out.”

“I never freak out.” He was a bit more alert now, and Tony wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

“Sure. So when the magical grandma gave me this… thing, she said it was for protecting someone, and that’s what I’m doing.” What was he supposed to say? “Jeez, this is weird, kid. She said- damn. Look, I can keep you in my stomach without hurting you, okay?”

There it was, out in the open. Tony sucked in a breath and resisted the urge to open his hands and get a look at the kid’s face. Peter said nothing.

“I know, I get it. It’s crazy. Bonkers.” He was rambling in his nervousness. “But it’ll work. You’ll be warm, and I’ll get you out as soon as we’re back. You’ll be fine.”

Still no answer from Peter, which was definitely a bad sign.

“Kid?” Tony looked around at the falling snow for help. “You didn’t pass out on me, right?”

“Yeah.”

Oh God, he was terrified. Tony’s heart dropped.

“Pete?”

“Mr. Stark?”

The small, shaky voice might as well have been knives stabbing into him.

“It’s me,” he said helplessly.

“I don’t… please don’t…”

“I don’t like it either, believe me, but it could save your life. I have to.”

He had stopped walking, and he held his hands and Peter close inside his jacket. The kid was shivering worse now.

“You know I wouldn’t if I thought anything would happen to you. Right?”

“Right…” Peter wavered.

“I know it’s crazy, but you have to trust me.”

“I do! It’s just… you know.”

“Please, kid.”

“It’s not really my choice, is it?”

“Not really.” Tony had never hated himself more.

“Okay.” Peter let out a shaky breath.

Tony was simultaneously relieved and horrified.

“You’ll be all right. I promise.”

Carefully, he opened his hands and picked Peter up in one of them. They made eye contact, and the complete fear in the kid’s face was painful. He looked like he was about to throw up.

“It’s okay.”

Peter nodded.

“Deep breaths, kiddo. Close your eyes.”

Tony took a deep breath himself and raised the tiny person to his lips.

“Wait!” Peter thrashed against his fingers. “No, stop! I can’t do this, Mr. Stark!”

Tony stopped, his heart twisting painfully at Peter’s cries. “Hey, hey, you’re okay. It’s just me.”

Peter sobbed, but it turned into more of a shudder as a shiver racked his body. Tony had to get him out of the cold soon.

“It’s just me.” He petted his hair carefully with a fingertip. “Do you trust me, Pete?”

“Y-Yeah?” Peter seemed to steel himself and looked him in the eye. “I trust you.”

“That’s my kid. Close your eyes.”

Gently, Tony placed the tiny person in his mouth, unable to ignore his little shudder. He shut his mouth again and could feel Peter’s little chest heaving.

Then he realized he had completely forgotten how to swallow. Everything was wrong. This wasn’t supposed to happen! This was Peter!

Peter, who was waiting in fear while Tony freaked out, and that wasn’t right either. Scared or not, he couldn’t draw it out any longer. The knowledge of how to swallow hadn’t returned to him yet, so he tilted his head back, wincing at the feeling as Peter slid and made small, quick movements that Tony knew were the product of barely restrained panic. He nearly gagged on the new presence at the back of his throat, but he pushed the urge away and gulped as softly as he could.

Peter cried out and moved to fight him, but a second, involuntary swallow followed, much stronger than the first, and the whole uncomfortable lump of him went down alarmingly fast. Tony’s hand flew to his chest when he felt Peter squeezing through, and a moment later the pressure let up and the tiny person tumbled into his stomach.

Well that was that.

“Pete?” Tony immediately pressed his hands to his middle. “Kid, you all right?”

He was so small, yet heavy enough for Tony to feel him acutely. So impossibly close, but far from his help if anything went wrong. Tony’s heart pounded in his throat.

“Talk to me, buddy. Or hit me, or something.”

A small impact from a hand or foot made him let out a breath of relief, but his heart did not slow down. Peter stayed where he was, unmoving except for his rapid breaths, which Tony could just barely feel.

“You’re safe,” he said in probably the gentlest tone he had ever used. “It’s still just me, kid.”

“Mr. Stark?” He heard the voice clearly, small though it was. Probably another trick of the old woman.

“Yep, that’s me,” said Tony, trying and failing to sound normal. “How’re you doing?”

Peter moved, presumably to sit up, and Tony held his breath in awe at the living person inside him.

“I’m okay.” The poor kid’s voice was cracking. “I’m okay. Kinda freaked out.”

“Yeah, that’s understandable.”

“Are you sure this is safe?”

“Well.” Tony reminded himself to keep walking. “I’ve never tested it. I’m not even really sure what it is, but it’s worked so far. What’s it like in there, by the way?”

“That’s not very-“

“Any liquid?”

“Yeah?”

“Stick your hand in it.”

“What?!” Peter moved a bit in his surprise, and it felt weird.

“Little experiment. Just do it, it’s fine.”

“Why?”

“I’m making sure it’s safe. Got some on your hand?”

“Yeah?” said Peter. “This is really gross, Mr. Stark.”

“How’s it smell? Acidic?”

“Yes… Is it-“

“Just wait a minute,” said Tony before he could panic. “If it starts itching or hurting you, tell me.”

He continued walking, more briskly now, both to get himself out of the cold and to make Peter’s confinement hopefully as short as possible.

“How’s the hand?”

“It’s fine.”

“Good.” Tony let himself relax, just a bit. “Give it a little longer, just in case.”

“What’re we doing?”

“Making sure I can’t digest you.”

He knew instantly that that was the wrong thing to say. It made him feel ill to think about, and he could only imagine what it did to Peter.

Damn. Just when he had seemed to be recovering from the whole getting-swallowed-alive thing.

“Yeah,” said the poor kid, his voice trembling.

Yep, definitely terrified again. Tony cursed himself.

“Yeah, good idea.”

Was he about to pass out?

“You all right?” said Tony.

“Just thinking.” Peter sounded breathless, and Tony could feel him pacing. “Mr. Stark?”

“You’re fine.” Tony ran a reassuring hand, which he probably couldn’t feel, over him. “You’re safe, kiddo. The old lady said so, and why would she lie, and we just tested to be sure.”

“Mr. _Stark_!”

“What’s up?” Tony started to get worried, too. “You okay?”

“I’m like- oh my god- you actually-“ He broke off, and Tony had the nasty feeling that he was inches away from a full-blown panic attack. So close, but out of his reach.

“Kid, take a breath.”

“You ate me!”

Well when he put it like that….

“No,” said Tony firmly. “Eating implies food, which you’re not, last time I checked. I’m just keeping you from freezing to death. Big difference.”

“Whatever.” Peter shivered. “I’m fine. Just really freaked out.” He paused. “Sorry.”

“Yeah, I’d be terrified,” said Tony. It wasn’t a lie.

“Really?”

“Literally screaming.” That was hopefully a stretch. “You’re doing great.”

“Thanks.”

Despite the cold, Tony couldn’t stop a fond smirk from playing around his lips.

“How long do I have to stay here?” Peter asked, voice small but no longer shaking.

Tony squinted through the gathering dusk and caught a glimpse of light. “I can see a village or something. Probably a couple hours, all things considered.”

Peter settled down for the first time, leaning against him. Tony rested a protective hand over him and kept walking.

The sun began to settle as well, and the temperature went with it. Already chilled as he was, Tony began to shiver violently and tried to force his stumbling feet to hurry. The world closed in, and it was just him and the cold, and the tiny core of warmth around Peter that he refused to give up.

It grew colder, and the wind picked up, swirling snow into his eyes. He stumbled often, and soon Peter noticed.

“Are you okay?”

“Fine,” he ground out. “Freezing.”

A pair of tiny hands pressed at him from inside, and honestly that was so weird that it jolted him briefly from his frozen stupor.

“How much farther?”

“Good half hour. I can make it,” he said grimly, keeping his gaze glued on the village lights. “We’ll make it,” he amended.

“Can I help?”

“Not really.”

It was hard to stay on his feet, but harder to keep awake. Tony caught his mind drifting more and more often, and his eyes tried to close of their own accord. He shook himself, but it did no good.

“Pete.”

“Yes?”

“Keep me awake.”

Peter asked him questions about their surroundings, about his plan, about the few words of Romanian they had learned, and generally kept up a running chatter. Tony’s responses grew slower and more delayed, until Peter resorted to hitting him or moving unexpectedly to get his attention. It was nauseating, but it worked.

He was nearly frozen solid by the time they made it to the village. A really quite saintly local took him in when he showed up begging for help at the nearest door, and soon he found himself in front of a tiny space heater, trying to arrange a ride through the Romanian wilderness in the middle of the night. It came down to bribery in the end, and it worked. They bumped along the sketchy-as-all-hell road, and Tony wished he could talk to Peter without looking like he had become home to a very polite demon. Said demon was jostled along with him, and he cradled his arching stomach as much as he could without being weird.

Finally they reached the city, and Tony had never been so excited to see the funny little hotel in his life. Not that he had seen it many times before, but still. His savior accepted his money and his fervent repetitions of “Mulțumesc, mulțumesc mult!” gave him a half smile, and drove off.

“We made it, kid,” said Tony quietly.

“Can you let me out now?”

“Gimme a second.”

He hurried inside, climbed the creaking steps, wrestled with the lock, and burst into the tiny room. It really was a nice room. He breathed a huge sigh and sat down on the bed.

“Okay.” He rested a hand over the strangely familiar weight in his middle.

Help me. I don’t know how to do this either.

“What’s wrong?” said Peter.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Please.

“Your heart just sped up like crazy.”

Well that was invasive. Tony scowled.

“Everything’s fine. Just not really sure how this works.”

“Okay.” Peter was definitely nervous.

I want to let him out now. Any time now would be great.

Tony gasped as his stomach seemingly turned over, and an uncomfortable lump squeezed upwards. It hurt. He choked a bit, coughed, and Peter fell into his hands. Tony felt weak with relief at seeing him again, tiny but unharmed.

“You all right?” he asked immediately.

“Bright.” Peter squinted and shielded his eyes.

Tony hid him in his hands, but had hurriedly put him on the bed when he instantly doubled in size and kept growing. By the time he had gotten up and switched off the light, leaving only the dim bathroom light on, Peter sat huddled on the bed, back to normal. Or, slightly more normal than before. Tony approached cautiously and sat next to him.

“Hey.” He leaned to get a look at him, and Peter slumped face first into his chest.

“Kid?”

His arms came up automatically to wrap around Peter, who didn’t answer. It was so good to have him within reach again. There they stayed, breathing together.

“You all right?” Tony asked softly.

Peter’s forehead stayed buried against his collarbone, and Tony ventured to smooth his damp hair.

“That’s okay.”

They sat for a while longer. Rather, Tony sat, and Peter did a very convincing imitation of a wet dish cloth.

“We made it, kiddo.”

“Yeah,” Peter breathed out.

“There he is. Can you look at me?”

That didn’t get any response, and Tony pulled him from his refuge just enough to press a kiss to his forehead. Brown eyes blinked owlishly at him.

“Good to have you back.” Tony gave his shoulders a squeeze. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” Peter laughed shakily. “Yeah. That was just… really crazy.” He offered a goofy smile.

Tony smiled back at him. “Still freaked out?”

“A little.” Peter shuffled his feet. “But…thanks, I guess.”

“Well I couldn’t let you freeze, now could I? What would your aunt say?”

Peter’s eyes widened. “Please don’t tell her?”

“Not a word, as long as you tell me everything single embarrassing thing that spider did to you. We got ridiculously lucky this time.”

“They’re not embarrassing…”

“Good. So you’ll tell me,” said Tony. “Later. Now it’s past bedtime for spiderlings.”

“Okay.” Peter made no move to get up.

“This isn’t your room, kiddo.”

“Sorry.” Peter let Tony pull him to his feet and gave him an awkward smile, half hopeful, half guilty.

Tony raised an eyebrow. “You want something?”

“Can I have a hug?”

Tony pulled him close, and Peter melted into him again with a little sigh. Strong but skinny arms wound tightly around his back.

“That was scary.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Tony squeezed him a little tighter. “But you did great, and you’re safe.”

“Thank you.” Peter nestled his head on Tony’s shoulder, and that same warm feeling as before sprang up inside his chest.

“I’ll always keep you safe, kid.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Please do not copy, print, or reproduce outside this site, I don’t want to get sued.


End file.
